With Elevators and Doors, Remember to Push It, Step Aside and Wait

Did you know that in 2007 there were an estimated 700,000 elevators and 35,000 escalators in use in the United States?  About 210 billion riders travel on elevators or escalators each year in North America, according to the National Elevator Industry.

To make exiting and entering gateways more pleasant and efficient, I offer a few basic tips:

Elevators  

• When waiting for an elevator, stand to the side, allowing riders to exit smoothly.

• If you are accompanied by a guest or client, allow them to enter before you.  You exit first, holding the door open for your guest.

• To request a floor, kindly say, “8th floor, please."  If you are next to the panel, it becomes your duty to assist those who cannot reach.

• If you are at the front of the elevator, step off to allow those in the back to exit.

• Avoid gossip or sharing of personal information; you never know who is standing in the back.

Escalators

• Do not block the entrance while you contemplate whether you should or shouldn’t go back to the 3rd floor to buy those darling pair of shoes.

• Stand to the right, allowing others to pass.

• Do not take your stroller up or down; adhere to the posted sign.  There were an estimated 26,000 escalator-related injuries among children who were 0 to 19 years of age in the United States from 1990–2002.  According to the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, injuries included falling, entrapment, and falling out of the stroller.

• If you are accompanied by a guest or client, you lead the way—up and down.  Step to the side to wait for your guest.

Stairs

• Move to the right, allowing others to pass on your left.

• If you are accompanied by a guest or client, you lead the way—up and down.  Step to the side to wait for your guest.

Doors

In a business setting, the non-gender rule is applied.  Whomever arrives first holds the door open for the person behind them.  In a social setting, in most cases, it is acceptable for the gentleman to hold the door open for the woman.  Ladies, accept this gesture graciously.

Revolving Doors

• If accompanied by a guest, you enter first, step to the side and wait for your guest(s).

• When someone moves to the side for you, allows you to enter first, or holds the door open for you, remember to say, “thank you."

Rosalinda Oropeza Randall is an etiquette consultant who owns Your Relationship Edge in which she teaches classes and presents workshops to a variety of audiences. She can be reached at rosalinda@yourrelationshipedge.com and her website is www.yourrelationshipedge.com. She can also be reached on Facebook.